Captain America #1 Review

Ed Brubaker and Steve McNiven join forces to bring back an ongoing title featuring none other than Steve Rogers as Captain America.

Captain America #1

A new #1 Captain America hits comic book stores today, and no surprise, seeing that “Captain America: The First Avenger” hits theaters on July 22.  I will be bleeding red, white, and blue for the next month as I gobble down the this new Marvel series, the movie, and “Captain America and Bucky”, the series which is continuing the old numbering.  We all know this series exists solely because of the movie, but I will tell you this right now: read this book.  It’s great to see Steve Rogers with the shield again.  Not that I didn’t like Bucky, but I feel that he didn’t get his fair shake.  That debate is beyond the scope of this review, so on with my review of “Captain America #1.”

I’ve followed Ed Brubaker since his Detective Comic days, and one of his storytelling strengths is his pacing.  He never gives us too much, or too little.  His panels hold just enough.  In fact, they are almost minimalist.  He holds true to that convention.  When I read this issue, I definitely see Brubaker, but I also see a DC Comics editorial mandate looking over his shoulder.  This book has all the trappings of a book designed to appeal to fans and to newcomers alike.  All of the usual suspects are here: flashbacks to World War II, a nod to The Avengers, Hydra, Nick Fury, and Baron Zemo.

So what’s the story about?  To be fair, the story is hardly original.  Steve Rogers, while at a funeral, saves his friend Duggan from assassination from (you’ll never guess). . . . wait for it. . . . someone he hasn’t seen since World War II!  I’ve read Captain America comics off an on since the 90s, and this is something I’ve seen scores of times.  This book is designed for the masses, but gives just enough to keep long time fans interested.  It doesn’t take any chances, yet it doesn’t need to.  It’s pure, it’s clean, it’s classsic, even if it’s familiar.

I suspect Steve McNiven was chosen to pencil the series due to his work on Civil War, a book that had wide appeal.  That’s no criticism of McNiven, by the way.  This book was tailor-made for a brand new comic fan, fresh from the theater, walking into a comic store and asking for Captain America.  And this is what that new fan is getting: Steve Rogers, with shield in hand, saving his friends and the world from those evildoers out to destroy Captain America and all that he holds dear.

Tags: Captain America Ed Brubaker Steve McNniven